We are humbled by the quiet efforts of our land volunteers – they monitor properties, pull invasive weeds, write blogs, and even conduct scientific surveys. In no way can we thank everyone here, but we thought we’d get started by highlighting a few of these marvelous people. Here we want to especially recognize some of the kind folks who volunteered at Rogue River Preserve.

The Preserve acquisition project hasn’t just captivated staff, it has also engaged a number of new volunteers, including a group of talented naturalists that we refer to as the “Dragonfly Musketeers”. Last fall, Jim Livaudais, Norm Barrett and Gary Schaffer initiated a yearlong survey of the dragonflies and damselflies found on the Preserve. Known locally as great birders and photographers, they also have a love for documenting dragonflies; in fact they recently documented some species not previously known in Jackson County – they’re record breakers! So through the Dragonfly Musketeer’s efforts we are learning about the insect biodiversity on the property and also getting outstanding photos.

Kasey Rolih, a forest researcher, started documenting macrolichens (yup, big lichens you can see with your naked eye) at the Preserve. She identified a number of species including a special group of lichens sensitive to air pollution, the cyanolichens. Cecile Shohet, a local botanist, and Karen Hussey - before she became our brand new Land Steward - this winter mapped noxious weeds on a portion of the property and mapped the data in GIS – a geospatial mapping database. A number of skilled naturalists and specialists led community hikes at the Preserve last year, including bird experts Bob Hunter, Frank Lospalluto, and Dr. Pepper Trail. Eugene Wier and Randy Frick led a fish walk for local fish lovers and Dr. Tom Atzet, also a SOLC board member, led an ecology stroll. Historian George Kramer led a tour of the historical residence on the property and conducted research on former owners. Thank you for sharing the magic of the land with our community! Next month see our eNews about upcoming volunteer-led hikes to this incredible property.

We couldn’t do our work without the wisdom and boot-walking skills of our Lands Committee: Tom Atzet, Randy Frick, Charles Bennett, Al Buck, Donna Rhee, Dan Kellogg, Pat Acklin, and former member, John Rinaldi. Being on this committee is a significant time commitment and a great gift to our organization. Additionally, some very talented professionals volunteered on a steering committee to help us with grants and management planning at the Preserve. These generous people were: Mark Amrhein, Clint Driver, Keith Emerson, Randy Frick, Dan Kellogg, Chrysten Lambert, Donald Rubenstein, Kevin Talbert, Craig Tuss, and Eugene Wier.

Upcoming

The next meeting of this book club will be on Tuesday, March 6, at 6:30 pm. We will be meeting at a private home in Ashland for a discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

News blog

This month we are highlighting two conserved public-access properties located in Ashland, Ore. We are grateful to the City of Ashland, the Ashland Woodland & Trails Association, and the countless volunteers who help maintain these incredible natural gems. We hope you enjoy this month’s “hike” down memory lane

With a tuft of evergreen basal leaves and seasonal flowering stalks, native perennial bunchgrasses provide a host of ecological services. Read Kristi's article about this iconic species, the critters that depend on it and the challenges bunchgrasses face.

Read volunteer documentarian, Crystal Nichols's, full blog post with videos highlighting the intriguing and significant life of coho salmon, its threats and how stream-side landowners can help these "living boomerangs".